A multi-award winning Bay of Plenty pie maker has taken out three gongs at this year’s pie awards - but the Supreme award has slipped from his grasp.

Patrick Lam, who has bakeries in Tauranga and Rotorua, has won a bronze award for his potato top pie, a gold for his steak and gravy pie, and a gold for his vegetarian pie in this year’s New Zealand Bakels Supreme Pie Awards held on Tuesday night.

Pat's steak and cheese came sixth place in its category, as did his bacon and egg pie.

His Chicken and vegetable came in at seventh place and his roast lamb and sweet curry sauce took ninth place.

The Supreme Pie award went to a South Island baker - the second only female baker to win the top award.

North Canterbury baker, Arlyn Thompson from Rangiora Bakery took out the Gourmet Meat category and the Supreme award with Slow Cooked Sumatra Style Beef.

Lam has won eight Supreme Awards since his opening of the bakery in 2003. His latest was last year. He sold more than 200 of his award-winning roast duck pies in a single day after taking home the 2023 title.

Patrick Lam won two gold awards in this year's competition. Photos / George Novak.

The Bakels New Zealand Supreme Pie Awards is an annual competition where bakers across the country compete in 11 categories.

Other victors from Bay of Plenty and surrounding districts include Miss Peggy Zhang from Kitchen Republic in Tauranga, who scored a silver award for her Sunday Roast - Lamb Pie in the Cafe Boutique category.

Silver award winner Martyn Mayston from the Bake Shack in Mount Maunganui was successful in the commercial/wholesale category.

Kerry Orchard from Gourmet Foods Ltd in Tauranga earned a bronze award in the same category.

Busy with pies for the Bakels NZ Supreme Pie Awards on judging day. Photo / Michael Craig.

Kai Mong’s slow-cooked peppered blade steak with aged vintage cheddar from Sweet Painted Lady Cafe in Taupō came ninth in the same category.

Matamata’s Ny Chan’s steak and gravy pie came 10th from Ronnie’s Cafe Matamata and Ramsey Ra from Paihia bakery came eighth in the Gourmet Meat category for a roast duck pie.

Fiona Carnegie from Robert Harris Cafe Matamata came seventh in Cafe Boutique with a chicken and leek with a parmesan crumble.

NZ Bakels managing director Brent Kersel says more bakers are giving the Gourmet Meat category a go with it being the third largest category.

“Right from the very first round of the Gourmet Meat judging, there were some really stand-out pies coming through with exceptional pastry making it a challenge to score on and then an abundance of flavour innovation.

“We had smoked trevally with peas, carrots, beans and corn; Mexican venison; beef brisket with beer, cheese and jalapeno; spicy prawn; beef moussaka and even an old-fashioned mutton pie.

“So much variety and we know pie fans want that variety from time to time. But when it comes to steak and cheese and mince cheese, they really are our ‘iconic’ pies, and being the two top entry categories shows how they are still the staple of bakeries, especially when the pastry has beautiful layering and a rich, moist and well-balanced filling. For me, you can’t beat a mince and cheese pie.”

There were 11 categories this year – Mince & Cheese and Steak & Cheese are the largest, with Gourmet Meat the third most popular with bakers – and each category has 10 ranked finalists, and dedicated awards (gold, silver, bronze and highly commended).

Mince & Cheese

Gold Award: Theara Keo, Taste Bakery and Roast, Henderson, Auckland

Silver Award: Kaing Sok, My Bakery Cafe, Glen Eden, Auckland

Bronze Award: Sopheap Long, Euro Patisserie Torbay, Torbay, Auckland

Highly Commended: Sok Heang Nguon, Taste Cafe and Bakery Avondale, Avondale, Auckland

Steak & Cheese

Gold Award: Tola Chhunleng, Freemans Bakery and Cafe, Glenfield, Auckland

Silver Award: Tina Yi, Mairangi Bay Bakery, Mairangi Bay, Auckland

Bronze Award: Shane Kearns, The Baker, Tīrau

Highly Commended: Sopheap Long, Euro Patisserie Torbay, Torbay, Auckland

Gourmet Meat

Gold Award: Arlyn Thompson, Rangiora Bakery, Rangiora - Slow-cooked Sumatra-style beef pie

Silver Award: Jason Hay, Richoux Patisserie Ellerslie, Ellerslie, Auckland - Maui’s Mana Pie

Bronze Award: Srieng Choeu, Fresh Bun Café, Tuakau - Scallop with creamy white sauce pie

Highly Commended: Murray Gray, Mataura Mutton Pies, Mataura - Mutton mince and breadcrumbs pie

Bacon & Egg

Gold Award: Cheth Bun, Eurobake Espresso Ltd, Kumeū, Auckland

Silver Award: Theara Keo, Taste Bakery and Roast, Henderson, Auckland

Bronze Award: Seila Ly, Hillcrest Bakery and Cafe, Hamilton

Highly Commended: Tola Chhunleng, Freemans Bakery and Cafe, Glenfield, Auckland

Mince & Gravy

Gold Award: Arlyn Thompson, Rangiora Bakery, Rangiora

Silver Award: Mr Soem Top, Dinsdale Bakery, Hamilton

Bronze Award: Tina Yi, Mairangi Bay Bakery, Mairangi Bay, Auckland

Highly Commended: Jason Hay, Richoux Patisserie Ellerslie, Ellerslie, Auckland

Steak & Gravy

Gold Award: Patrick Lam, Patrick’s Pie Group Limited, Tauranga

Silver Award: Kaing Sok, My Bakery Cafe, Glen Eden, Auckland

Bronze Award: Jason Kupe, The Butchers Pie, Rolleston

Highly Commended: Buntha Meng, Wild Grain Bakery, Wainui

Potato Top

Gold Award: Kaing Sok, My Bakery Cafe, Glen Eden, Auckland

Silver Award: Bun Heng Wong, Julia Bakery, Ellerslie, Auckland

Bronze Award: Patrick Lam, Patrick’s Pie Group Limited, Tauranga

Highly Commended: Samraksmey So, Rosedale Bakery & Café, Rosedale, Auckland

Chicken & Vegetables

Gold Award: Buntha Meng, Wild Grain Bakery, Silverdale, Auckland

Silver Award: Sopheap Long, Euro Patisserie Torbay, Torbay, Auckland

Bronze Award: Chamnan Ly, Piefee, Auckland CBD

Highly Commended: Kaing Sok, My Bakery Cafe, Glen Eden, Auckland

Vegetarian

Gold Award: Patrick Lam, Patrick’s Pie Group Limited, Tauranga - Stir-fried vegetable with potato pie

Silver Award: Songheng Sor, High Bakery & Café, Silverdale, Auckland - Spinach, mushroom and onion pie

Bronze Award: Avina Tran, Paetiki Bakery, Taupō - Pumpkin, broccoli, potato and mushroom pie

Highly Commended: Kaing Sok, My Bakery Cafe, Glen Eden, Auckland - Creamy spinach and vegetable mix with camembert pie

Café Boutique

Gold Award: Kerry Wellman, Leeves at Portstone, Woolston, Christchurch - “Winter Pudding” pie

Silver Award: Peggy Zhang, Kitchen Republic, Otūmoetai, Tauranga - Sunday roast lamb pie

Bronze Award: Bridget Mcnaught, Relish Rangitikei, Hunterville - Slow-cooked pork with jalapeño pie

Highly Commended: Anthony Pearson, Kerikeri Bakehouse, Kerikeri - Double cheeseburger pie

Commercial/Wholesale

Gold Award: Jason Danielson, Kaipai Bakery, Wānaka

Silver Award: Martyn Mayston, Bake Shack, Mount Maunganui

Bronze Award: Kerry Orchard, Gourmet Foods Ltd, Judea, Tauranga

Highly Commended: Tom Grooten, Dad’s Pies, Silverdale, Auckland

-Rotorua Daily Post.